Mechanism for developing and dynamically deploying awarelets

• US 6,732,364 B1
• Filed: 07/14/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bhaskaran, Kumar, Heath, Fenno F. III, Chafle, Girish B.
• Primary Examiner(s): An, Meng-Al T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANYA, CHARLES E
• Application Number:
  US09/616,893
• Time in Patent Office: 1,390 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/311-318, 709/328, 709/203, 717/101, 717/106, 717/121
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1822 Conducting the conference, e.g. admission, detection, selection or grouping of participants, correlating users to one or more conference sessions, prioritising transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A software framework provides building blocks for developing event handlers (typically XML-based or data object based) and a mechanism for dynamically deploying and managing them within an online community having roles and places defined for users and groups. The complex data to be sent/received among users and applications can be described in XML or actual Java™ objects. The software framework is composed of the following principal components: Awarelet base, Awarelet Container, Awarelet Application Adapter, Awarelet Event, Awarelet Configuration, and Awarelet Repository. Awarelet Technology is designed to enhanced the prior art of Instant Messaging in order to facilitate more robust interactions between members of the online community. This invention considers not only users as members, but in addition, business applications and processes as well. The present invention aims to solve the problems stemming from lack of support for business related collaborations in the prior art, as well as enhance the ability to send and receive complex informational events. This Awarelet Technology allows for the creation of real-time business related collaborations in order for the members of an online community to exchange business events and context. Awarelet Technology brings the notion of context and structure to the members of online communities and can be used to construct powerful real-time business related collaborations.

Claims

1. A computer implemented framework supporting a programming model to provide, distribute and deploy event handlers (awarelets) dynamically to end users in an online community, comprising:

at least one generic awarelet (awarelet base) for providing a basis for customization of awarelets, the customized awarelets having the ability to process and receive events;

an awarelet container for hosting customized awarelets, the awarelet container being used by an application or system for managing an online community where the management of the online community needs to process events, wherein the awarelet container shields customized awarelets from an underlying communication mechanism by pushing and pulling awarelet events from an information bus;

a generic awarelet application adapter providing a basis for customized awarelet application adapters which are integrated with the awarelet container for sending and receiving awarelet events over the underlying communication mechanism, wherein the customized awarelet application adapter serves as a bi-directional communication bridge between the awarelet container and the underlying communication mechanism thereby allowing awarelets to be focused on event handling and not be burdened with communication details;

means for constructing at least one awarelet event comprising an event type and event body; and

an awarelet repository providing means for storing the customized awarelets and awarelet configuration data, the awarelet repository comprising means for dynamically loading awarelets based on the stored awarelet configuration.

2. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one user customized awarelet for processing received events.

3. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one user customized awarelet application adapter for sending and receiving awarelet events over the underlying communication mechanism.

4. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, wherein the awarelet event body has features which are not simple text.

5. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, wherein the Awarelets render a received event visually when processing the received events.

6. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, wherein the Awarelet Application Adapter communicated Awarelet Events to client applications via one of a standard framework and proprietary framework of online communities.

7. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, wherein the collaboration takes place in real-time.

8. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for customizing a user interface for rendering a customized awarelet, thereby allowing a user to interact with the customized awarelet.

9. A computer implemented framework as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for customizing a user interface for rendering the awarelet container, thereby allowing a user to customize a presentation of awarelets in the awarelet container.

10. A method for event handling using “

awarelets”

, said method comprising the steps of;

initializing an awarelet container for hosting at least one event handler (awarelet), the awarelet container being used by an application that needs to process events, wherein the awarelet container shields awarelets from an underlying communication mechanism by pushing and pulling awarelet events from an information bus;

defining configuration data for awarelets, the configuration data being stored in an awarelet repository;

receiving configuration data by the awarelet container from the awarelet repository, the awarelet repository providing means for storing awarelets and corresponding awarelet configurations, the awarelet repository comprising means for dynamically loading awarelets based on the stored awarelet configuration;

generating at least one awarelet by deriving class information from an awarelet base class;

generating an awarelet application adapter by deriving class information from an awarelet application adapter base class;

providing connectivity between an information bus and awarelet container, the awarelet container acting as a host for the at least one awarelet;

providing connectivity between the information bus and awarelet;

providing connectivity between an awarelet application adapter and the underlying communication mechanism, wherein the underlying communication mechanism connects to one of an awareness server and an event server;

receiving events from the underlying communication mechanism by the awarelet application adapter;

producing awarelet events by the awarelet application adapter and sending the produced awarelet events to the awarelet container;

producing awarelet events onto the information bus by the awarelet container;

extracting awarelet events from the information bus by at least one awarelet;

processing awarelet events by the at least one awarelet;

emitting awarelet events onto the information bus by the at least one awarelet;

extracting emitted awarelet events from the information bus by the awarelet container;

sending emitted awarelet events to the awarelet application adapter by the awarelet container;

sending events to the underlying communication mechanism by the awarelet application adapter, wherein the sent events are derived from the awarelet events received by the awarelet application adapter,

wherein emitted awarelet events may be processed or extracted by more than one awarelet.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the configuration data comprises methods for handling and processing events, data defining user, role and place for the awarelet, and specific event subscription data.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein awarelet events are extracted and processed by awarelets based on subscription by the awarelet to an event type.